Police have arrested a suspect in connection with a well-organised racket, conducted by unscrupulous education agencies, whereby local students are left stranded in countries neighbouring the European Union (EU).
The arrest came following the Foreign Ministry’s tip-off to the police, a senior official of the Ministry’s consular division told the Sunday Observer.
“Some students seek help to return but others stay behind, doing odd jobs because their parents have borrowed money to send them overseas for study, while others have opted to stay behind because of embarrassment,” the official said.
He said the racketeers charge over Rs.1.5 million to send the students to educational institutes in countries such as Georgia, in addition to air ticket fees, on false promises. They were left in the lurch with no protection or study facilities upon arrival.
The police warn the public to be aware of such unscrupulous agencies and verify the credentials of educational agencies with the University Grants Commission before sending their children overseas.
The authorities are still unaware as to how many students have been affected by these bogus agencies. Investigations are continuing.